Easy Tips for Increasing Engine Horsepower

High-flow, or performance, air filters, are a quick and easy (and relatively cheap) way to increase the horsepower of your car's engine. By enabling more air to be sucked into your car's engine, the combustion strength within your car's engine will be in increased slightly, thus generating a slightly bigger engine explosion (power) that translates into increased horsepower. Standard, factory-installed engine air filters are highly restrictive to engine air flow; thus, they are not optimal for folks looking for extra horsepower in their cars. High-flow air filters are quick and easy to install, are relatively cheap, and they last much longer than traditional, factory-installed air filters, requiring only periodic cleanings instead of replacements.

Use Synthetic Motor Oil

Another quick and easy to implement engine horsepower-boosting step is to use synthetic motor oil instead of standard-grade motor oil in your car's engine. Synthetic motor oil has much greater lubricative properties; in other words, synthetic motor oil flows easier and lubricates better than standard-grade motor oil; thus, it reduces engine friction considerably better and allows an engine's internal parts(pistons, valves, etc.) to glide past each other almost effortlessly. A net effect of this increased engine lubrication and friction reduction, besides greater engine protection, is a small bump up in engine horsepower, typically between 8-10 horsepower points. Although synthetic motor oil is roughly twice as expensive as standard-grade motor oil, its increased engine lubricative and reduced engine wear properties combined with its horsepower-boosting effects make it a worthwhile option for any vehicle owner.

Install High-Performance Spark Plugs

Installing high-performance, or split-fire, spark plugs are a great way to compliment the horsepower-boosting effects of using a high-flow air filter and synthetic motor oil in your car. High-performance spark plugs are differentiated from traditional, standard-type spark plugs by their elongated and split spark plug center diodes. Unlike traditional spark plugs, which ignite and engine's air/fuel mixture from a single point, high-performance spark plugs are designed to ignite an engine's air/fuel mixture from two points, from each side of their split center diodes. That combined with the fact that high-performance spark plugs are slightly longer and sit in a more central position in an engine cylinder results in more complete and efficient engine combustion, a net result of which is increased engine horsepower and increased gas mileage. High-performance spark plugs are roughly twice as expensive as their standard counterparts, but their benefits - both in terms of increased horsepower and better gas mileage - far outweigh their increased cost.